In principal aspect of the present invention relates to a tool used to support and tilt the engine of a motor vehicle in the engine compartment of the vehicle so that the component parts of the engine, such as spark plugs and the like, will be more accessible for purposes of service or replacement.
Front wheel drive vehicles typically include an engine which is mounted transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Such engines, particularly in General Motors vehicles, may be difficult to service inasmuch as the component parts, such as spark plugs, the oxygen sensor, ignition coil and the like, are positioned in a manner which makes access thereto somewhat difficult. In order to improve accessibility, the engine struts, which are often referred to as “dog bone” struts, may be detached and replaced by a mechanism which is operated to tilt the engine a limited amount while in the engine compartment. Such tilting exposes and makes more readily accessible the parts of the engine or components attached to the engine, which require servicing.
Various prior art engine tilting devices are available in the marketplace. For example, Thexton distributes a General Motors engine moving tool, Product Number 419X. The tool is placed in the position of the “dog bone” struts and adjusted to tilt the engine. Lisle Corporation has in the past sold an engine tilting device for transversely mounted General Motors engines, Model No. 22550 Engine Tilter, which also is designed to replace the “dog bone” struts.
While such tools are useful, there remains a need for an inexpensive yet rugged and efficient engine tilting tool.